BootCamp Advice

I have a mid-2012 13" MBP 2.9 GHz, i7, 8GB RAM, 128 GB SSD for reference. About a year ago I had my university IT install BootCamp in a 45:65GB (window:mac) and I did this so I could run my chemistry research software in addition to MS Office, Origin, and EndNote (my wife also uses it from time-to-time when a PC is needed which is handy). However, I have been running the windows side quite full and it makes it difficult to install updates and make any changes that require hard drive space. I started looking at the things I use on the Mac side as of late and it would seem that they could all be done on the PC side. I bought the MBP 3 years ago and did not foresee this happening but would it be reasonable to have them "bootcamp" my computer again and make the ratio more towards the windows side (i.e. 65:45GB or even further)? I currently have 17 GB of free space on my Mac side (I also have a lot of unnecessary music I could delete on the Mac side so this could be bigger) but less than 1 GB of free space on the windows side. In hindsight it would have been optimal if I purchased the 256GB SSD (that was a lot of $$ hehe) but I would prefer not to sell this computer to just purchase a PC, so that's why I am willing to bootcamp it again...I am open to any suggestions folks! Lastly, I do have a small SanDisk 32 GB USB that I regularly leave plugged into my computer; is there a way I could store programs or files on this versus the SSD to save space (I've never tried this before but worry about running/loading issues)? I really only use my computer for music, web browsing, and my specific work programs. Thanks in advance!

The easiest solution is to just use an external hard drive formatted in NTFS or put some windows files on that 32GB flash drive you mentioned. Redoing the proportions for windows/mac would require a lot of work.

The easiest solution is to just use an external hard drive formatted in NTFS or put some windows files on that 32GB flash drive you mentioned. Redoing the proportions for windows/mac would require a lot of work.

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What you are recommending is uninstalling/re-installing the software that I can on my flash drive? Is there a reason it needs to be NTFS? Will the program run the same as it would if it was installed on my SSD?

What you are recommending is uninstalling/re-installing the software that I can on my flash drive? Is there a reason it needs to be NTFS? Will the program run the same as it would if it was installed on my SSD?

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Yes - programs, data, whatever you want

NTFS is optimal in windows for hard drives/SSDs. Exfat is optimal for small flash drives.

That is a pretty upgradeable machine; if you are going to redo the partitioning and reinstall anyway, why not get a bigger SSD? You can find 256GB for under $100. Or if you don't use the optical drive for anything you could install a second SSD in that bay, put Windows on one and OSX on the other.

That is a pretty upgradeable machine; if you are going to redo the partitioning and reinstall anyway, why not get a bigger SSD? You can find 256GB for under $100. Or if you don't use the optical drive for anything you could install a second SSD in that bay, put Windows on one and OSX on the other.

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Thanks for your advice everyone. I believe my AppleCare warranty is up this fall but I have not come into any issues with this computer nor my wife's Macbook Air, which is 4 years old as of now. I hadn't thought about upgrading the SSD to 256GB, partly I didn't know it was that cheap. I wonder if my university IT could install that for me? Thanks again for the input. I think I'll check about upgrading the SSD to 256GB and then re-doing the partitioning. This should give me all the space I need.

Thanks for your advice everyone. I believe my AppleCare warranty is up this fall but I have not come into any issues with this computer nor my wife's Macbook Air, which is 4 years old as of now. I hadn't thought about upgrading the SSD to 256GB, partly I didn't know it was that cheap. I wonder if my university IT could install that for me? Thanks again for the input. I think I'll check about upgrading the SSD to 256GB and then re-doing the partitioning. This should give me all the space I need.

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You don't need the IT to do it. If you know how to operate a screwdriver you already have all the necessary skill needed.

I suggest you go look at ifixit.com in the guides section, and see for yourself.

I think I have it nailed down what I would like to do. I will be purchasing a 256GB ssd (any recommendations for brands or specific one?) and installing per the above mentioned directions. Then I will boot up using a Time Machine back-up. My question is, I understand you can exclude things from the Time Machine back-up (I do it time-to-time since I find it unnecessary to back-up my music/photos every two months), but if there is nothing shown in my "excluded" section when I do the back-up, does it mean that it saves a copy of the OS (I believe I have Lion)? I just wanted to make sure I did not miss anything there. Once I've put the OS back on I'm going to have my University IT folks bootcamp it and split it 120:120GB and this should negate the need for ssd space for the lifetime of this computer. I enjoy having it bootcamped so I can do my personal and work tasks on one machine. Just wanted to post an update and ask that one question about the Time Machine back-up.

I think I have it nailed down what I would like to do. I will be purchasing a 256GB ssd (any recommendations for brands or specific one?) and installing per the above mentioned directions. Then I will boot up using a Time Machine back-up. My question is, I understand you can exclude things from the Time Machine back-up (I do it time-to-time since I find it unnecessary to back-up my music/photos every two months), but if there is nothing shown in my "excluded" section when I do the back-up, does it mean that it saves a copy of the OS (I believe I have Lion)? I just wanted to make sure I did not miss anything there. Once I've put the OS back on I'm going to have my University IT folks bootcamp it and split it 120:120GB and this should negate the need for ssd space for the lifetime of this computer. I enjoy having it bootcamped so I can do my personal and work tasks on one machine. Just wanted to post an update and ask that one question about the Time Machine back-up.

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Time machine backs up apps and documents, it is not bootable thus is does not save the OS. You'd need to stick the SSD in, install OS X using your recovery media or internet recovery, and when prompted you'd simply need to point it to the time machine backup and let the computer do its thing.

You don't need the IT guys for bootcamping either, it's quite easy, all you have to do is read and follow on-screen instructions.

Time machine backs up apps and documents, it is not bootable thus is does not save the OS. You'd need to stick the SSD in, install OS X using your recovery media or internet recovery, and when prompted you'd simply need to point it to the time machine backup and let the computer do its thing.

You don't need the IT guys for bootcamping either, it's quite easy, all you have to do is read and follow on-screen instructions.

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That's right that it's not bootable, but it doesn't have to be in order to be used to restore your entire system.

Migration Assistant, which is what you're referring to, is used when migrating your older Mac to a new Mac.

Time machine backs up apps and documents, it is not bootable thus is does not save the OS. You'd need to stick the SSD in, install OS X using your recovery media or internet recovery, and when prompted you'd simply need to point it to the time machine backup and let the computer do its thing.

You don't need the IT guys for bootcamping either, it's quite easy, all you have to do is read and follow on-screen instructions.

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Thanks for the continued advice. I apologize for the continued questions but how do I go about installing OS X Lion using my recovery media? I can switch out the 128GB for 256GB ssd but when I power it on after putting in the new ssd do I just need to hold down Command-R and it will install the OS again or do I need to back-up the OS to my external, purchase the OS new, etc.? I just want to make sure before I swap the ssds that I will be able to still have OS X Lion. Would it make anything easier if I upgraded to the free OS X Yosemite?

Thanks for the continued advice. I apologize for the continued questions but how do I go about installing OS X Lion using my recovery media? I can switch out the 128GB for 256GB ssd but when I power it on after putting in the new ssd do I just need to hold down Command-R and it will install the OS again or do I need to back-up the OS to my external, purchase the OS new, etc.? I just want to make sure before I swap the ssds that I will be able to still have OS X Lion. Would it make anything easier if I upgraded to the free OS X Yosemite?

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Your MBP is recent enough to have internet recovery built in. You'd simply need to hold cmd-R on boot to start the recovery process.

Upgrading to Yosemite wouldn't be a bad idea on the security front. Lion hasn't been supported nor updated for a few years already.

Your MBP is recent enough to have internet recovery built in. You'd simply need to hold cmd-R on boot to start the recovery process.

Upgrading to Yosemite wouldn't be a bad idea on the security front. Lion hasn't been supported nor updated for a few years already.

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Do you folks think it would be a wise-idea to do the internet recovery with my current system (Mountain Lion 10.8.5), then upgrade to Yosemite 10.10.2, do another internet recovery, and lastly install the bootcamp using one of them? I just wonder if I will like the new OS and doing two backups could be a safety net. Any thoughts? My 256GB ssd should be arriving sometime this week and I'm excited to do the install!

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